GOODYEAR, AZ — The driver involved in a deadly cycling crash in Goodyear in February 2023 has been sentenced after pleading guilty to a dozen misdemeanor counts.
More than two years after the crash happened, Pedro Quintana Lujan pleaded guilty to 12 misdemeanor counts for either causing death or injury by a moving violation through a plea deal.
During a court hearing on Thursday, Quintana Lujan was sentenced to one year in jail and three years of probation. The judge sentenced him to six months for one count and six months for a second count, to run consecutively.
Additionally, Lujan will have his driving privileges suspended for 180 days and will pay a fine of at least $2,500, as well as restitution and would need to do drug tests quarterly for a year after he gets out of jail.
“This is not a scenario where there is any evidence to support that anything here was intentional. I understand that everybody has their opinion,” Jason Karpel, Quintana Lujan’s attorney, said before the sentencing. “This is an accident. It’s a tragic accident. There’s nothing I'm going to say that makes anyone feel better."
On a morning in February 2023, a group of 20 cyclists from the West Valley Cycling group were taking their routine ride across the Cotton Lane Bridge when they were hit by a pickup truck driver. Two people died in that crash, Karen Malisa as well as David Kero.
In the sentencing hearing, victims and their families came to give statements before the judge, hoping for the maximum sentence for his misdemeanor charges, which he did get.
It was emotional in the courtroom as victims recounted how this crash changed their lives.
Liz Kero, the wife of David Kero, said she’s been feeling “insurmountable grief.”
"Your actions not only took Dave’s life, but also the future we would’ve had together,” she said.
Malisa’s family also spoke out to the judge, which included her two sisters as well as her husband, Steve.
“If there is anyone on this earth that deserves to go to jail for more than six months, it is him. Lastly, I really want him to know that hell will be waiting for him,” said Susan Oot, Malisa’s older sister.
There were tears in the courtroom as victim Clay Wells showed videos of the crash to the court, wanting to show the carnage and aftermath of what was supposed to be a fun ride with his friends. Quintana Lujan also appeared to wipe away tears at one point during the hearing as he listened to the victim statements.
“The last sound I remember that day was that indistinguishable laughter of Karen Malisa, and I’ll never forget that,” Wells said.
Wells was the last of the victims in the crash to get out of the hospital and has since been recovering.
See previous ABC15 reporting of the crash and subsequent court hearing in the player above.

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Police and reports say Pedro Quintana Lujan, who was 26 at the time, was driving the truck. He originally told police that his steering locked; however, two separate evaluations cited in a National Transportation Safety Board report showed there were no issues with his truck. However, the report said fatigue likely played a role in the crash.
It’s been a long, almost two-and-a-half years for the victims who have been waiting for justice. Quintana Lujan was originally booked into jail for manslaughter, endangerment, and causing serious injury or death by a moving violation. However, he was later released after Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell sent the case back to Goodyear police.
Months later, Mitchell told the victims she was not pursuing felony charges because there was a lack of evidence. Records show Quintana Lujan had some THC in his system; however, Mitchell said Arizona law doesn’t have a set standard for proving impairment by THC only.
“[The evidence] just wasn't there. It's heartbreaking and it's unsatisfactory, but it is where we are at right now,” she said to ABC15 in November 2023. “It's a collision where we cannot show with the evidence that there was a conscious disregard of a risk that this individual made.”
Victims were upset that Mitchell did not pursue felony charges and ultimately sent the case back to the City of Goodyear, where the prosecutor then filed 12 misdemeanor charges.
“The biggest disappointment goes back to the County Attorney, Rachel Mitchell, for not pursuing this,” Wells said in August.
In public records released to ABC15 since the crash, there were videos of Quintana Lujan right after the incident, saying he had killed someone. Investigative reports also showed Quintana Lujan was not one of the several people who called 911.
"I want the weight of what he did to follow him every day, every mile he drives, for the rest of his life. This wasn’t an accident. It was a selfish choice,” said Dianne Stanbach, Malisa’s other sister.
The case was supposed to go to trial, but then a plea deal was agreed upon and discussed during an August hearing, where Quintana Lujan said he was guilty on all 12 counts.
In addressing allegations that his defendant didn’t show remorse, Karpel said showing remorse is different for everyone.
"He's taken responsibility is pleading to the court to every single charge; his remorse is shown not only by his plea but his demeanor. He’s been emotional in court several times,” Karpel said Thursday.
While Quintana Lujan hasn’t addressed the court or victims himself, ABC15 spoke with him briefly after his hearing in March.
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t on purpose,” Quintana Lujan told ABC15.
Another court date has been scheduled for October 30, as the court hopes to figure out how to deal with restitution for the victims. At that date, the judge said Quintana Lujan’s sentence will start.
“Will I ever be 100% happy? I don't know. I feel it's been a long process, but I do feel a little sense of closure that we’ve been working for a long time,” Steve said after the sentencing on Thursday.